My name is Hannah Marshall and I studied BSc Sport Science at the University of Bedfordshire between 2011-2014. When I first started my degree, I had no idea of my future plans, but studying at UoB helped me realise the career path I wanted to follow. Undertaking a Sport and Exercise Science degree introduced me to the range of disciplines within Sport Science, provided me with many options and opportunities, and enabled me to understand my own strengths and weaknesses. Carrying out a research study as part of my final year dissertation project gave me the opportunity to conduct research for the first time, and from there I decided to continue with my studies and undertake Masters by Research (MRes). I obtained a First Class degree, and was therefore lucky enough to be awarded a Jubilee Scholarship to progress into postgraduate study at UoB.

My Masters research project was in the field of Environmental Physiology – an area that I was first introduced to during my BSc Sport and Exercise Science degree. I was able to utilise the Sport and Exercise Science Laboratories at UoB, and worked in collaboration with researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, which was a great opportunity for me to enhance my skills as a researcher. This research has since been published in a peer reviewed journal (Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism), and has been presented at international conferences. Following completion of my MRes, and my departure for the University of Bedfordshire, I was offered a highly competitive PhD Studentship at Brunel University, where I am currently a PhD Research Student in Respiratory Physiology.

The skills and experience I gained during my time at UoB as an undergraduate and postgraduate student, and the support from academic staff at the University, enhanced both my professional and personal development. The University of Bedfordshire provided me with a solid foundation, and the confidence, to pursue a research career in the field of physiology.